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TOPIC: illegal logging
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/addb1ccc582a16de?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Wed, Nov 21 2007 6:40 am
From: Russ Richardson


ENTS:

Last year Roman gave some incredible accounts of his encounters with
tropical trees.

Is there anyone currently in ENTSland that has read or would like to provide
any insight on the following?

Russ Richardson

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/20Nov2007_news16.php   


ILLEGAL LOGGING

CITES will be asked to ban trading in rosewood


APINYA WIPATAYOTIN

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is looking for ways to
convince members of Cites to ban the trading of rosewood, or payoong, a
much sought-after timber in the international market. The ministry
yesterday discussed the issue with officials of the Forest and National
Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation departments and police, so that
tougher measures could be introduced to fight illegal rosewood logging.

Saksit Tridech, permanent secretary for natural resources and environment,
said the ministry has prepared a briefing on Thailand's concerns about the
heavy poaching of rosewood in the country.

It was hoped it would gain support from members of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites),
an international agreement between governments that aims to ensure that
international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not
threaten their survival.

The move comes on the heels of a series of crackdowns on illegal rosewood
logging.

The ministry will soon conduct a survey with the help of the Ministry of
Science and Technology, using satellite imaging, to find out the number of
rosewood trees in the country so that officers assigned on forest patrols
can protect them from log poachers, he said.

A study by the ministry has estimated there were about 300,000 rosewood
trees left in the conservation zone. There are no records of rosewood
trees in the national parks.

Chalermsak Wanichsombat, chief of National Park, Wildlife and Plant
Conservation Department, cautioned that it may be difficult to get
approval from Cites members as many of the countries still have ample
supplies of rosewood and want legal trading in it to continue.

''The immediate problem we face is that we can't prove that rosewood is at
risk of extinction,'' he said.

''Some countries which sell the timber, such as Laos and Cambodia, will
definitely oppose the idea.

''What we should do now is try to convince them that if the logging of
rosewood continues at this rate, it will soon disappear from the
forests,'' said Mr Chalermsak.

Illegal rosewood logging is on the increase due to strong demand from
China and Japan. Police have made hundreds of raids since October last
year in which over 50,000 logs of rosewood were seized and 527 people
arrested.

Most of the illegal timber was from the northeastern provinces of Ubon
Ratchathani, Amnat Charoen, Yasothon, Si Sa Ket, Surin and Mukdahan.

The ministry yesterday set up a special task force to suppress and prevent
the smuggling of illegal timber with the cooperation of the Environment
Ministry, customs officials, police and governors. It has voiced
confidence that the partnership would be able to effectively curb illegal
logging. The task force's head office will be based in Si Sa Ket.

Yongyuth Yutthawong, acting environment minister, suggested that penalties
be toughened for illegal loggers, and a blacklist be drawn up of the
suspects both at the local and national levels.

He said over 1,500 police would be deployed to closely monitor the illegal
trade, and new measures against illegal rosewood logging would soon be
forwarded for cabinet approval.